Inside a Philadelphia Barbershop, Black Men Talk Politics

On a recent Friday night, a group of Black men gathered at a barbershop in West Philadelphia to talk about politics. The event was organized by a group called Win With Black Men. Its leader, political strategist Khalil Thompson, wanted to find out why some Black men voted for Republican Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential election instead of Democrat Kamala Harris. Thompson has been traveling the country asking this question ever since Harris lost the race.

The barbershop, called Philly Cuts, was full of energy. Some men sat in barber chairs getting their hair cut, while others stood wherever they could find space. They took a break to eat cheesesteaks and talked for more than two hours. The crowd included local politicians, union leaders, longtime residents, newer arrivals, and even a few high schoolers.

Thompson told the group he wanted to understand what really matters to Black men across the country. He said that when politicians treat all Black men the same, they miss what makes each person's life different. 'When you're polling, messaging, making TV decisions for Black men with one monolithic filter, you're going to lose a broad swath,' he said. In other words, Black men have different needs depending on where they live and what they do for work.

The conversation got heated at times. One man, Stanley Thigpen, said that Trump has long been a well-known figure in Black culture because rappers used to mention him in their songs. That idea did not sit well with everyone in the room. Al Glay, a real estate agent, pushed back hard and brought up Trump's past comments about five Black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly accused of a crime in 1989. 'He was blatantly racist,' Glay said, and the room broke into loud debate.

Some men said they feel let down by both political parties. One barber, Maurice Anderson, pointed out that Democratic President Bill Clinton signed laws that led to more Black people being sent to prison. 'For the longest time, we always have a reason to distrust government, because we know our history,' Anderson said. He added that even when people feel that way, giving up on voting is still a dangerous choice.

Win With Black Men was co-founded by Thompson in 2023, and he got his start working on Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign. The group grew quickly after Harris entered the race, because many people worried that Black men might not support her strongly enough. Harris herself had visited Philly Cuts just nine days before she lost to Trump, where she talked about raising teacher pay and cutting student loan debt to help Black men.

The men at the barbershop talked about a range of issues that affect their daily lives. They discussed how to give young Black boys better role models and more chances to succeed in school. They also debated whether a lack of grocery stores in some neighborhoods — called food deserts — was caused by bad policies on purpose. Even with all their disagreements, everyone agreed that the government should invest more money in Black communities.

About one-quarter of Black men voted for Trump in 2024, up from just 12% in 2020. Black men face real economic challenges: their unemployment rate was 6.2% compared to 3.5% for white men, and the typical Black family has a median wealth of about $44,890, far below the $285,010 median for white families. Thompson said these facts help explain why some Black men feel frustrated with the political system and are looking for something different.

Political experts say Black men will be one of the most important voting groups in the 2028 presidential election. Pollster Terrance Woodbury said several possible Democratic candidates have already reached out to learn how to better connect with Black male voters. He noted that South Carolina holds the first Democratic primary contest and that Black voters play a huge role there.

Thompson believes the key to reaching Black men is offering them hope, not fear. He wants to keep conversations going in barbershops and communities across the country. 'We have the freedom today that countless ancestors prayed for, died for,' Thompson said. 'And there are so many ways that we can use it. We just have to motivate and mobilize.'